Monthly Archives: September 2011

Its all moving at a million miles an hour right about now, and Im happy to say all is on track! A quick heads up to new friends & those whove been off the radar, the CD itself drops on Friday the 7th Oct. It will be available from selected INDEPENDENT HIP HOP RETAILERS! Remember those dope spots that we use to gather @ and rummage through the racks for the latest and greatest? Please support your local and grab a copy from there. A full list of stockists will be up here next week. Alternatively we can cater to your needs at unkutrecordings.com online, paypal stylee, delivered to your door. And yes, theres a more than good chance i boxed up your CD with my own grubby mitts! For those interested but aren’t aware yet, Im releasing the CD with the 1st of a 4 part T-Shirt series that ties in with the album. The first is shown @ this blogsite on a previous post, so please check it and jump on unkutrecordings.com to secure your very own. These things are strictly limited edition. For real. Once they are gone, theyre gone and believe me they are moving quick. Some stores will have a small handful available after the drop date but there will be no guarantees… Also, there will be a couple of listening parties taking place over the month of October. Brizzy and ADL outdoor dates to be confirmed in the next few days but first up for the Melbourne heads, we are having one @ the laundry on launch date, the 7th October from 6-9pm. Come past to hear the albs on the big system, say g’day, grab a copy of the CD, check the new clip for Animal Kingdom on the big screen and have a couple of quiet ones to help me celebrate the release of this beast! Hope to see you there…

So for those looking to have a copy of FTTOHNL sent direct to your door by the 7th Oct. or want to ensure you lock down part 1 of the Artist series tees, checkUNKUTRECORDINGSto secure a pre order! The shop is now taking orders to ship on the 5 – 6th.

The site had a slight meltdown during initial upping of the preorders with the amount of heads tryna score a piece but things have smoothed out a little. If your looking to grab a pre, please read the disclaimer on the news page first, it will aid you in a smoother transaction and hopefully avoid any down the line issues!!!

Also if you want my nom-de-plume plasted on there (although it is my handstyle on the cover!) Be sure to write “SIGNED” in the message section mid paypal transaction. It might be worth keeping in mind Ill be doing some instore style listening parties in a couple cities in the coming weeks and will be more than happy to personalize that shit then. If thats your thing might be worth holding off???Not too mention they all come shrink wrapped and signed copies will have to be shelled…

The CD and limited stocks of merch will be available to purchase from stores on 7th October so please hit up your local indy specialist if the paypal route is not your thing. Its real important that we purchase from these guys where applicable, they were there for us before any of the majors new this shit existed! A full list of stockists will come soon.

KINGS COURT TEE… The first of the limited Edition Artist Series Tees drops at the same time as FTTOHNL. This one is linked to the track Kings Court from the LP and has been handcrafted by non other than Big Linz aka L.Roc from the Ironlak writer team… Linz is also responsible for the amazing oil painting that adorns my albums cover and deffo came thru on this one for the Kings Court joint! The caption reads “Defend the throne til the walls fall…” & comes from the track itself. The back neckline of the tee also contains the Trem One logo. These things are super limited as will the following artist series merch collabs, they will all be available directly from unkutrecordings.com in pre-order form and handfuls of amounts in some local indys…

In a time capsule unearthed in an overgrown train yard on the outskirts of Melbourne, archaeologists discover a dirt encrusted artifact, a codex of the art and science of hip hop based on a blueprint etched in concrete during a period of innovation. It bears the marks of the late 1980s and early 90s when the elemental standards were laid down by a small elite.

The artifact in question is For The Term of His Natural Life, the debut solo LP from Australia’s finest lyrical craftsman, Trem One.

To say debut is misleading, though. With a small but revered discography including two sought after vinyl EPs and his work with the Lyrical Commission on his own Unkut Recordings label, Trem is an elder statesman. Finally, For The Term… makes good on all the promises of his back catalogue. Following up on 2010’s rapturously received teaser single ‘Omega Man’, this project hits every target set for it.

Long-awaited doesn’t being to describe Trem’s first full-length, but the notorious perfectionist was never going to release anything less than a flawless gem: “I could’ve dropped varying versions of a solo album many times over, but it wouldn’t be this one. This is the one that I envisioned.”

Having fine-tuned his production chops on two Lyrical Commission releases and Brad Strut’s acclaimed Legend: Official, Trem now steps back from the boards somewhat, producing three cuts himself and inviting Beat Butcha (UK), Amazing Maze (Germany), Thorotracks (NYC), Must, Wik and long time compatriot Prowla to contribute to the soundscape. The result is a coherent 14-tracker that evokes the early nineties with a reactionary vigour. For The Term… exploits the prototypes of finely crafted braggadocio, visceral storytelling and the art of metaphor epitomised by MCs such as Rakim.

Beyond the razor sharp battle verses, the rush of the mission is depicted on the vivid graf narrative ‘Hard Yards’ and Trem talks like sex on the sticky and lewd ‘Strips’. Elsewhere, ‘Ever Since’ and ‘Reminisce’ trace the roots of his career back to the 80s while ‘Kings Court’ is a time-honoured ode to skills over suitably regal beat from Prowla.

Throughout the album, artfully collaged vocal snippets are deployed in the place of a hook by Prowla, DJ Bonez, DJ Dcide and Trem himself. Moreover, Trem breaks down the fading science of crate digging and chorus cuts alongside a masterful example of the latter from California’s DJ Revolution on ‘For The Record’.

Complementing the painstakingly composed verses and carefully considered cuts is an equal precision in selecting guests. Brisbane’s Kings Konekted is represented on two tracks, with the group’s Dontez providing the menacing chorus on second single ‘Animal Kingdom’. Both Dontez and Culprit commit verses to ‘Russian Roulette’, which also features Brad Strut. This grim and epic centrepiece to the album could be read as a passing of the torch from Lyrical Commission to one of the few new names worthy of carrying the flame.

Speaking of the rare collaboration outside his core crew, Trem notes: “I personally think they have the makings of something real special, but for whatever reason don’t seem to get the recognition of other new schoolers with half the talent. Konekted have crafted a mad original style that’s all they’re own but still sits within the blueprint’s guidelines.”

Another unexpected collaboration is a dream match up with Brisbane’s own old hand Lazy Grey on the vicious ‘Vet Clinic’, an interstate exercise in amateur euthanasia. In Trem’s words: “Collaborating with Lazy has been on the to-do list for a real long time and for various reasons it never eventuated. After tinkering with the idea for a while during the album’s making, it wasn’t til the right beat landed in my lap that I thought, shit, that’s the one! I am truly honoured to have the god on board.”

In a final surprise, lead single ‘Omega Man’ is reprised and flipped with help from Brooklyn’s Q-Unique (ex-The Arsonists, and a guest on Lyrical Commission’s Murderous Metaphors) and a fresh verse by Trem: “Being that there was a chunk of time between the single and the album I wanted to give it some new light. Instead of a traditional remix, I let that ill Prowla beat ride and rehashed my verse, adding a new dimension. Re-acquainting with Q on the track was a no-brainer.”

The sum of these parts is equal measures history lesson, skills seminar and classic storytelling. For the Term of His Natural Life is the culmination of twenty years of hard labour, an unapologetic exercise in hip hop artisanship that steps outside of time to take its rightful place in the Antipodean rap canon.

For the Term of His Natural Life will be available through independent records stores, directly from http://www.unkutrecordings.com and digitally via iTunes.

• Commencing with the album release, a Limited Edition Artist Series of merch will drop, each linking a leading Australian graffiti writer with a song on the album. Linz, who also painted the album cover, tackles ‘Kings Court’ for the debut t-shirt. Next up, Sofles will handle ‘Strips’, with later editions to be announced.

• A video for the second single ‘Animal Kingdom’ featuring Dontez of Kings Konekted, will drop to coincide with the album release, executed by Josh Davis, Heata and Discourse, who also delivered the stunning high definition clip for ‘Omega Man’

Todays word from Unkut Recordings HQ-“The overly long awaited, most anticipated Trem solo is nearly upon us! Yes, for real, it really is! Full presser and advertisements to kick off over the coming days so please stay tuned. The album will be released on CD and Itunes to kick off proceedings with Double Gatefold vinyl to follow on some super limited edish release caper. The vinyl release should come within 4-6 weeks following the CD release so wax heads, hold tight and be sure to grab the CD version in the meantime! Pre Orders are most likely to go live as of next week. They will be available through this website (hit up the shop section), soulclaprecords.com & runroyal.com… Each store may have varying pre-order deals. Indy stores across the land will be our primary stockists. Please hit up your closest if online ordering is not your cup of tea. O.S heads can purchase pre-orders through unkutrecordings.com but additional costs may incur for postage. In conjunction with the LPs release we are doing a limited series of merch. The garments are a cross promo – limited artist series & Edition 1 of the 4 part series is to feature the talents of Linz aka L.Roc. Editions 2-4 will follow along with some other crazy cross promo bizness, so ensure to continually keep your eyes on the prize! The second single/clip “Animal Kingdom” will go live on the eve of the albums release. Furthermore listening parties will take place from the release date on. A good chance to come grab your copy direct from Trem. Stay tuned for details on whens and wheres… Please, stay tuned for the full PR, tracklist, features and more detailed info with updates occuring on the reg, shits about to get serious…”

A quick update for the enquiring minds… A definate release date for FTTOHNL is to be announced later this week, shits real close believe me! Varying pre orders will be available through unkutrecordings.com, Soulclap & most likely Runroyal. O.S heads can purchase prees through unkutrecordings but additional costs will incur for postage, naturally! The first run of limited release artist series merch is to drop in conjunction with the CD, editions 2 to 4 will follow. This release and pack will be limited as will the remaining parts to the series, trigger fingers at the ready! The Animal Kingdom clip to drop on the eve of release, and its monstrous! Super Limited Double gatefold vinyl release will surface a month or so after CD release. Please, stay tuned for more detailed info & updates on the reg, this shits ready to rumble!!!! Cheers!